Prime Minister Ariel Henry of Haiti tenders his resignation

Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has stepped down, as announced by the chair of the Caribbean Community on Monday.

“We have received his resignation after the formation of a transitional presidential council and appointment of an interim prime minister,” stated Caribbean Community chair Irfaan Ali, who is also the president of Guyana. Ali expressed gratitude to Ariel Henry for his dedication to Haiti.

Ariel Henry had been serving in the position without being elected since the assassination of former president Jovenel Moise in 2021.

Currently, Ariel Henry is stuck in Puerto Rico, a US territory, after his recent trip to Kenya to advocate for the deployment of UN-supported police forces in Haiti.

What led to the decline in the situation?

The situation worsened, leading to escalating violence in Haiti as police clashed with armed gangs demanding the removal of the Prime Minister.

Criminal gangs with significant influence have maintained control over much of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Despite calls for elections, Ariel Henry dismissed them, citing the unstable security conditions in the country.

Recently, violence intensified in the Caribbean nation during his absence, as a prominent gang leader held a press conference declaring intentions to overthrow the government.

To address the rampant gang violence in the capital, Haiti’s government declared a one-month extension of the state of emergency and implemented a nighttime curfew.

Embassy workers from the US and Europe depart due to unrest

The European Union announced on Monday that its embassy staff in Port-au-Prince had moved to the Dominican Republic.

The day before, the United States evacuated non-essential embassy personnel from Haiti.

The German Foreign Ministry also released a statement confirming that the German ambassador had departed the country due to the extremely volatile security conditions in Haiti.